THE IVORY FIRE
What did the prohibition era do to alcohol sales? Or to the pockets of the people distributing it illegally?
Many parallels to be drawn here.... Rather control the commodity, that way you have a MUCH better chance at saving rhino and elephants. Pure stupidity to burn US$ 200 000 000....
As I watch social media and the international press and see how the world is applauding Kenya for burning 105 tonnes of Ivory and 1.35 tonnes of Rhino horn at a value of an estimated 200 million US dollars - a few questions come to mind –
1/Will this make the market go away ?
If you remove a huge portion of the supply of any single commodity , gold , beef salmon or tealeaves does this in any way affect the market ?
2/what happens to the market price of any commodity if you remove a huge amount of that commodity ? Again, take out a huge amount of any single commodity - gold , beef salmon or tealeaves one will see the market value increase. An increase in value of ivory or rhinohorn means more money at every level of the already thriving trade.
3/Have any ivory fires in the past had any effect on the market.
The answer is No – so therefore then why do we think doing it again on a bigger scale will have a different effect – do we see the markets in Asia that have infinitely more ivory in stock destroying theirs – or are they rubbing their hands in glee at what will happen to market value?
4/It is estimated that the value of the ivory and horn burned is over 200 million US dollars – what effect could we have on wildlife protection with a budget of 200 million US dollars – that’s the equivalent to an annual salary of 83 000 gamescouts – or 4000 new Toyota landcruisers
5/If a third world country can afford to burn 200 million dollars of a commodity – literally watching the equivalent of 83 000 gamescouts annual salary or the value of 4000 new Toyota Landcruisers go up in smoke and flame – rather than using that money to equip and pay wildlife development and protective agencies what does that tell you about the true value they place on wildlife.
5/while Asia is seen as the marketplace and the “demon” of the elephant and rhino horn trade – could they not , with controlled sales become the very market that gives these two species incredible value – and in turn be the scource of large amiounts of money that could be used in wildlife protection and development that ultimately saves the species from illegal trade and extinction.
6/have we ever in history destroyed any trade by limiting supply of the commodity traded ?
Please like and share this and please feel free to comment on your thoughts – this is a GIANT issue that needs logical reason.
What did the prohibition era do to alcohol sales? Or to the pockets of the people distributing it illegally?
Many parallels to be drawn here.... Rather control the commodity, that way you have a MUCH better chance at saving rhino and elephants. Pure stupidity to burn US$ 200 000 000....
As I watch social media and the international press and see how the world is applauding Kenya for burning 105 tonnes of Ivory and 1.35 tonnes of Rhino horn at a value of an estimated 200 million US dollars - a few questions come to mind –
1/Will this make the market go away ?
If you remove a huge portion of the supply of any single commodity , gold , beef salmon or tealeaves does this in any way affect the market ?
2/what happens to the market price of any commodity if you remove a huge amount of that commodity ? Again, take out a huge amount of any single commodity - gold , beef salmon or tealeaves one will see the market value increase. An increase in value of ivory or rhinohorn means more money at every level of the already thriving trade.
3/Have any ivory fires in the past had any effect on the market.
The answer is No – so therefore then why do we think doing it again on a bigger scale will have a different effect – do we see the markets in Asia that have infinitely more ivory in stock destroying theirs – or are they rubbing their hands in glee at what will happen to market value?
4/It is estimated that the value of the ivory and horn burned is over 200 million US dollars – what effect could we have on wildlife protection with a budget of 200 million US dollars – that’s the equivalent to an annual salary of 83 000 gamescouts – or 4000 new Toyota landcruisers
5/If a third world country can afford to burn 200 million dollars of a commodity – literally watching the equivalent of 83 000 gamescouts annual salary or the value of 4000 new Toyota Landcruisers go up in smoke and flame – rather than using that money to equip and pay wildlife development and protective agencies what does that tell you about the true value they place on wildlife.
5/while Asia is seen as the marketplace and the “demon” of the elephant and rhino horn trade – could they not , with controlled sales become the very market that gives these two species incredible value – and in turn be the scource of large amiounts of money that could be used in wildlife protection and development that ultimately saves the species from illegal trade and extinction.
6/have we ever in history destroyed any trade by limiting supply of the commodity traded ?
Please like and share this and please feel free to comment on your thoughts – this is a GIANT issue that needs logical reason.
